"....when you believe."

We rented our house today!!! We are really excited and relieved to have this done and we are grateful we found a nice family to lease our home for two years. Ever since we decided to apply to MIT we felt a little worried and scared about all the many details that it involved, from getting accepted, selling or renting our house, to finding housing when we arrive in Cambridge. Everything has been falling into place and it is really neat to sit back and watch miracles happen. Todd and I have a strong testimony of miracles, and we are grateful for the little and big miracles that we have witnessed in our lives lately.
Since our house is now rented the boys and I will be technically moving this Wednesday. We will be staying with my parents in Rhode Island until the end of May when Todd will meet up with us. Todd will be busy finalizing details here in Tucson and working.
We have really enjoyed our time here in Tucson. I have made some wonderful friends, who I love very much. We have loved our ward (which just split today!) and the memories that we have made here. Thatcher has some sweet little friends here, and I know it will be sad for him to leave them. We hope that we can all keep in touch and stay connected, good thing there is blogging, that is all I have to say!
So the next couple days will be busy busy busy with packing and goodbyes and then it is a start to a brand new adventure!

Lovebird Tag

I was tagged...again. I decided to do this tag because Todd and I will be separated for about seven weeks pretty soon and I was feeling sentimental.

1. Where did you and your husband meet?
We met on October 24, 2001. We both entered the MTC that day. We didn't get along great a first, but over time became good friends. Here is an interesting/funny story about us from our missions. Todd and I went to our first city together and we were on a train for about eight hours alone! In fact, before we left our mission president told us that we were to be companions that day and to not let each other out of our sight. I didn't speak Italian as well as Todd and felt very scared and unsure being in a foreign country all by myself. The whole day Todd looked out for me, translated for me, found connecting trains that we had to go on, and carried ALL of my luggage for me. I remember thinking in my mind "I want to marry a boy like him someday".

2. 1st thing said...
Probably something like "Come stai Anziano Bishop?" (How are you Elder Bishop?) or "Are you Jewish?" I used to think that Todd looked like Moses from the Prince of Egypt. I also used to sing "dradle dradle" when he walked by.

3. 1st date...
Our official 1st date was when I went to Texas for his homecoming and we went to a Play at the community center. Even though it was our official "first date" we had already said I love you, held hands, and talked about marriage. I never said our story was typical!:)

4. 1st kiss...
December 22, 2003.

5. Long/Short Courtship or engagement?
Okay, like I said we have a interesting story, not typical! :) Todd got home from his mission in November and we were engaged in December and we were married in May. It was fast. Here is the thing I always tell people...we served together for about 13 months. at least 9 of those months we saw each other everyday for at least two hours, plus meetings, church, ect. Todd had seen me mad (and yes, even at him!), happy, silly, grumpy, sick, pms-ing, ect. We saw each other in a variety of situations and got to know each other really, really well. When we fell in love, the only thing missing from our relationship was the romantic part, so we had a relatively long engagement to figure all that out.

6. Where did you get engaged?
The same ski resort that we kissed for the first time. It was December 24, 2003. It was a special date to us. He was really nervous, even though he denies that. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, and I laughed. Typical. Then I asked him if he had prayed about it, and once he told me he did I said yes. I knew we were going to get married, I had known for a while, but I wanted to make sure he prayed about it. I guess I felt like he was really young, which he was, and didn't have as much experience in life as me and I didn't want him to regret that. But he doesn't. Turns out I am all the life experience he needs frankly! :)

7. Where and when were you married?
The Salt Lake Temple, May 15 2004.

8. How did the Reception go?
There were a few hitches here and there, but we were really so happy we didn't care until after it was all over! :) We had our reception at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and it was GORGEOUS! I LOVED my cake and decorations.

9. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We stayed a couple nights at the Inn at Temple Square then stayed a few nights at a condo at the same ski resort we got engaged!

I tag anyone who wants to do this!

Can it be, is he really THREE??

Happy Birthday Thatcher!
Thatcher's birthday was actually on Easter Sunday this year and so he had double the fun! We went to Chuck E. Cheese's on Saturday night and ate pizza and played and played. He woke up to not only the Easter Bunny's goodies, but also birthday presents! We also celebrated his birthday today for playgroup and had a Buzz Lightyear party. He had a fun time!! I can't believe that he is three years old, he is such a little joy in our lives and adds so much fun and spunk to our family! Happy Birthday buddy, we love you!

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful Easter this year! The boys woke up bright and early to their Easter baskets, and an egg hunt. It was so fun and cute to see both boys finding the eggs. They looked so cute in their little Easter outfits! (I didn't get a picture of them in them, Taggy decided to have a run in with the toilet when we got home before I could snap a photo of them!) We had our good friends the James', Adams, and Gardners over for Easter dinner. Most importantly we remembered the resurrection of our Savior and we are grateful for this miracle that happened so that we can all be reunited as friends and family.

March Madness: American Idol!!

Okay, I got his really fun idea from my friends Sara's blog! I always love doing the March Madness brackets with my Dad, brothers, and Todd, but inevitably I always loose because I am not a die hard basketball fan and pick teams that I like to win, like BYU. So I thought this was a fun version of March Madness because you all know I am a BIG American Idol fan and can actually make some pretty accurate predictions I think! So, for all who would like to participate post your predictions and there will be a prize for the winner!

The rules are as follows:

A. Anybody can play!

B. You have to enter before this Tuesday show, March 17th at 5 pm.

C. Post your prediction for:

1. Top 10
2. Top 8
3. Top 6
4. Top 4
5. Top 2
6. Ultimate Winner!

D. Scoring is as follows:
* One point for each correct answer for round one (top 10)
* Two points for each correct answer for round two (top 8)
* Three points for each correct answer for round three (top 6)
* Five points for each correct answer for round four (top 4)
* Ten points for each correct answer for round five (top 2)
*30 points for correctly predicting the next American Idol!

Good luck!!

The Happiest Place On Earth!

We had a BLAST at Disneyland. It was SO fun. The boys LOVED it. It was really great to get away and have such a great vacation with our little family. We spent the first two days at Disneyland and the last day at California Adventure. We rode most all of the rides, saw both parades, saw the fireworks, ate some yummy food, and had a great time! At the end of the day we came back to our hotel room and colapsed! It was awesome.

MIT!!!!

Todd got into MIT!!!!! YAY!!!! We are REALLY excited and I am so proud of him. So it looks like we will be Bostonians starting in June. It is going to be a busy couple of months, but we can't wait for this new adventure!

I will post Disneyland pictures later today...just wanted to post the good news!

Updates!

I have had a lot of comments from friends and family that I haven't been updating my blog as much as I usually do. To put it in a nutshell these last few weeks have been INSANE. I really have felt like a single parent and have had to adjust to a schedule where Todd has been at work from dawn to late at night. He also went out of town this past week to Curacao. If you have never heard of this island in the Caribbean, you aren't alone. When he told me over the phone where he was going, the day before he left, I thought for sure he said Carousel, and I was amazed that there was a country with that name. I made him take the camera, so I will post pictures of his vacation, I mean "business trip" soon! :)

Some updates on the fam are:

Thatcher has been saying some hilarious things lately, and I find myself laughing at him all day long. Or that is what if feels like anyway. So either he has gotten really funny, or I am seriously adult deprived and I am reverting back to life as a three year old. We had stake conference this last Sunday and as we past the freeway entrance that we usually get on to head to church, Thatcher noticed and asked me where we were going. I told him we were going to church. "NO we aren't!" he told me, and I explained to him that we were going to a new church today, a big church and I explained Stake Conference to him. He obviously didn't like what he was hearing. I then see him in the review mirror shaking his head and as he rolls his eyes and says, "Taggy, we aren't going to church". So obviously my three year old think that his mom has completely lost it, good thing I have him around to help me along my way! :) It was like he was telling Taggy, "oh geez Taggy, Dad is out of town and Mom is completely off her rocker!" After we pulled into the parking lot he saw the Stake Center and exclaimed, "this isn't MY church!". After going over one more time how this is a new, big church, and how we are going to a big meeting with LOTS of people to hear the Stake Presidency talk to us. As he got out of the van he said, "I just want to go to nursery, not to a big meeting"...oh no. So after a melt down in the parking lot because I told him there wasn't nursery today, we made it inside. He cracks me up!

I have still been working hard on my goal for this year of loosing weight (Loosing Weight in 2008!) and I am happy to report that I have lost about 30 lbs.!! I am really excited that I can do this right now for myself so that I can be a more healthy mom with more energy, which I have already noticed. I have actually really got into my new way of eating and counting calories. It is like game, and I really love it.

The last little update is we are heading to Disneyland tomorrow! We are really excited! This is the first family vacation that we have taken by ourselves with our little family. So, we will have lots of pictures to post when we get back!

Oooooooo....Weeeeee.....Ahhhhhhh......

Thatcher: "Oooooooo.....Weeeeee....Ahhhhhhh....Oooooooooo.....Ahhhhhhhhh"

Me: "What are you doin' bud?"

Thatcher: "Oh just speaking whale, that's all."

This is an exchange we had this morning as I was doing the dishes as Thatcher played near me. This kid cracks me up.

A M A Z I N G!!!!!!

Okay so everyone knows that I am a fan of American Idol. This season has by far the best contestents I have ever seen on the show. For those of you who missed last nights show, I thought I would give you a little slice of perfection in David Archuletta. He has my vote. P.S. He is LDS.

Cute Boys!

I absolutly LOVE these boys!
Here are just some of the activities they have been doing today.

We have been very into Woody and Buzz at our house lately. Here Thatcher is riding his horse so he can be just like Woody.

Usually it is forts that our built with our couch cushions, lately it has been towers. Forts seem to be a little safer! Thatcher did eventually get on top of this cushion tower and somehow balanced himself and then screamed for me to come and help him down because he was stuck.

Whenever we have the camera around Taggy, this is what he does.

Finally got one with his eyes open!

Here he comes to get Taggy!

Brotherly love! It is a love hate relationship let me tell ya! But it is so fun!

Me From A To Z

A: Attached or single: Attached forever...
B: Best Friend: First Todd, then my Mom, then Jill
C: Cake or Pie: Cake! I love ice cream cakes from Cold Stone or Baskin Robins! YUM!
D: Day of Choice: Saturday because we are all together as a family
E: Essential Item: My Chi flat iron and my treadmill
F: Favorite Color: Pink!
G: Gummi Bears or Worms: Hairbo Gummy Candies Star Mix from London, THE BEST!
H: Hometown: I am from all over. But I claim the east coast as home base.
I: Indulgence(s): Rocher Chocolates, Manicures and Pedicures, and Naps
J: January or July: July...love summer!
K: Kids: 2 cute boys and more kiddos to come in a few years!
L: Life is incomplete without: DVR...pathetic? maybe, but true.
M: Marriage Date: May 15, 2004
N: Number of Siblings: 2 brothers
O: Oranges or Apples: apples
P: Phobias or Fears: spiders, tornados, and something happening to a family member.
Q: Quote(s): Forget yourself and get to work!
R: Reason To Smile: we are going to Disneyland in two weeks!
S: Season: I love fall!
T: Tag Six: Jill (who won't do it), Teresa, Sara, Sharla, Jane, Jessica
U: Unknown Fact about Me: I hold my pencil/pen different from anyone else I have ever met!
V: Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Deffinatly a carnivore!
W: Worst Habit: Being late
X: X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds! First of all it is the neatest thing seeing your little baby on the screen and finding out the gender, and also it gives you piece of mind knowing that everything is okay in there!
Y: Your Favorite Food: Italian
Z: Zodiac: Virgo

We Might Not Have It All Together, But Together We Have It All!

Happy Valentines Day Todd!

I am so grateful that you un-locked my heart and stole it! ;)
I'll love you forever.

Women will get this, Men will not...

This has got to be one of the funiest videos I have seen in a long time. We have experienced the Man Cold a few times at our house, how about you? At least now I will know what to do next time.

Be My Valentine!

Today for playgroup we had a little Valentine party for the kids. They decorated sugar cookies, made little bags with a Valentine theme then stuffed them full of Valentines from each other. It was really cute.


Kyra, Lacey, Layla, and Thatcher decorating cookies!


Thatcher with his "say cheese" smile!


All the kiddos decorating their valentine bags!


Thatcher showing off his masterpiece!


Thatcher and his three Valentines!


Got some good stuff!


Checking out his "telescope" as he calls it.

How Well Do You REALLY Know Me?

Take My Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com Can you Ace my quiz? Yes! No Let's Find Out!

Play Date!

A fun day at the mall! Thatcher now can recognize the McDonalds sign and says, "Mommy, lets go to McDonalds with my friends and play and eat some chicken nuggets and chocolate milk!" It is pretty cute.


Look at these two! Best buddies! When I took this picture and looked at it I couldn't believe my eyes at how much these two have grown up since we have lived here.

Taggy having a great time!

After a fun day, two boys zonked in the car!

Today is the Day!

Everyone get out and vote Mitt Romney! We are keeping our fingers crossed! I can't wait to go and vote and sport my Mitt Romney Tee. Go Mitt Go!

While the cat is away...

...the mice will play!

When we were serving together in Malta, Todd would have to go up to Catania every six weeks for "zone leader conference". I know that this was really just a giant sleep over with all the zone leaders from around the mission. He would fly up and spend the night and then come back the next day. Every time before he left I would tell the rest of the zone that 'when the cat is away, the mice will play!', Todd would hear me saying that and roll his eyes, but I think deep down he really was scared of what we might be doing without him!;) Well, it has become a tradition that whenever Todd goes out of town now this is what I say to him for about two days before his trip. I think it still puts the fear of God into him, maybe not...but it is still fun to say! So here are some of the things that the mice are doing while the cat is away this time...

Plenty of jumping...got to get the energy out of those kiddos!



Tonight after Enrichment several of my friends are coming over for a Lost party. You have got to love this show. I cannot wait! All I have to say is if Kate is pregnant with Sawyers baby, I am going to be TICKED. Jack + Kate FOREVER!

Till We Meet Again...

On Sunday January 27, the President and Prophet of our Church passed away. At 97 years old it does not come as a shock, but it is still sad to see him go. President Hinckley has been the prophet for most of my life. I remember when he was sustained as the prophet and listening to his powerful testimony. I remember sitting in the Marriott center at BYU and listening to him talk about modesty, and earrings and looking around the room and watching countless young BYU students take out their 2nd earings when President Hinckley said that we should only wear one. I looked to him with hope the General Conference after September 11th, and received peace when he spoke of the future. I have heard him speak in person four times, and each time my testimony of prophets today on the earth was strengthened. I took that testimony and bore it to the people in Italy and Malta who believed that the Heavens were closed. I have showed my sons pictures of him and bore testimony to them that we have a prophet of God on the earth that loves us and encourages us to be better. I love President Hinckley. I am happy that he has been reunited with his sweet wife and others who surely welcomed him with open arms. What a wonderful reunion he must be having! Truly, he has fought a good fight, and finished his race.

“In all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.” ~Gordon B. Hinckley